Cotton-picking machine.



H. L. FISHER. COITON PICKING MACHINE.

iygggy gg APPLICATION FILED AuG.22. I912. Patentedhme 1917.

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H. L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACH INE.

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H.' L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-22, I912.

Patented June 12, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- H. L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-22. 1912.

Patented June 12 1917.

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H. L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED AUG-22,1912.

Patented June 12, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 mechanisms, arranged on oppositesides of of Illinois,

, device which removes HARVEY L. FISHER, CHICAGO,

PANY, or CHICAGO, ItLINoIs,

ILLINOIS','ASSIGN.OR T0 DONALDSON & FISHER COM- A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

co-r'rou-ricxme MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known, that I, HARVEY L. FISHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Machines, of which the following is a specification. The'bbject of my invention is a cotton picking machine which, will rapidly and thoroughly pick all the ripe cotton on the it is applied, without break-1 plants towhich ing or injuring them or the unopened bolls of immature cotton, which may be operated by those unskilledin mechanics and with a minimum 'of attention on the part of the operator, and which is sufficiently light, easy running and strong forthe purpose, and may be built at a moderate cost. One of the main facts about the cotton plant which makes the problem a difficult one, is that the bolls do not all ripen together but niature at different periods, requiring a numberof pickings of the same plant. It is therefore necessary that in the earlier pick ings, the plants and immature bolls be uninjuredor the value of the crop is materially diminished. With this in view my machine consists in a truck or vehicle adapted tov span a single row of plants without injuring the neighboring'rows andto be drawn along overthe row carrying a pair of picker the machine and between which is a passage or channel through which the plants, pass as the machine is drawn forward. Into this passage are thrust 'at'short intervals of time the picker spindles or fingers of two vertical series arranged respectlvely upon opposite sides of the passage, each spindle being rotated rapidly in contact with the plant or with the cotton thereon. After a brief period of rotation in the projected position, during which if it comes in contact with acotton boll ,it winds up-the cotton, the

spindle is-withdrawn into contact with a and carries it to a suitable point for storage.

Obviously if the pickercomes in contact with no cotton 1t is retracted empty. The pickers are also' so mounted as to give way under pressureof the plants as the machine is drawn forward .to avoid injuring the Application filed August 22. 1912.

. in the following claims.

is a

thereof; Fig. 2 is broken away, to show parts which would the cotton. therefrom Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented June 12, 191?.

Serial No. 716,384.

same. The construction by which these results are accomplished will be understood by a reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application and the following detailed description, it being understood, however, that the description of a specific mechanism, though it constitutes ua'suitable andpreferred means forcarrying out In invention, is for the'purpose of ex emph cation only and my invention is not limited thereto, but its scope ispointed out Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 plan of a specific form of my cotton picker showing the essential features Y a side elevation, partly otherwise be concealed; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal yertiqal section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. i is a vertical transverse section upon the line 4+4: of Fig. 2 looking 1n the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross section of a detail of my mechanism upon the line 55 'of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical section upon the line 6.6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, the construction being shown as partly broken view; Fig. 7 is a vertical section upon the away in order to condense the line 7 -7- of Fig. 5, the lower portion of the construction being omitted; Fig. 8 is a vertical section upon a somewhat enlarged scale upon the line 8-8 ofFig. 5, the structure being shown as broken away in .themiddle for the purpose of condensing-the view and other portions being shown fragmentarily for the same purpose; Fig. 9,is a section of a detail .on the plane of Fig. 5 but on an enlarged scale tary vertical section of a detail upon the line 1 O10 of'Fig. 5; Fig. 11 is a sectional detail to bedescribed later.

In the following description I have used the same character to refer to a part wherever it occurs in the several views.

As heretofore stated, my cotton picking machine comprises a truck adapted to span a row. of plants to be picked and a pair of picker mechanisms on opppsite sides of the machine for operating upon the-plants. The

truckin its principal features and the manand Fig. 10 is a fragmenner of mounting the picker mechanism thereon are disclosed and claimed in, an. application No. 703919 filed by me June 15,

11-, 12 formed of suitable U-bars and connected near their tops'by longitudinal members 13, 1 1. 'The front wheels of the vehicle areindirectly mounted upon the legs or side members of the arch 11 by means of Vertical shafts 15, 15 which are journaled in brackets 16, 16 secured to the arches and provided near their lower ends with out- Wardly extending ar'bors or stub shafts 17,17 upon which the front Wheels 18, 18 are mounted. At their upper ends the shafts carry rearwardly extending arms 19, 19 Which'are connected by, links 20, 20 to a rearwardext'ension2l of the vehicle tongue 22, so that the Wheels are turned to follow the direction of movement'of the draft animals by which-the vehicle may be drawn The rearwheels 23, 23 are mounted upon stationary; stub-shafts projecting from the lower ends or legs of the rear arch 12 and not only assist in supporting the machine but by intermediate mechanism to be de-' scribed; later, form the driving means for the picker mechanism. 1 The latter consists in two distinct units 24, 25 comprising casings 25, 25 connected together by frontand rear cross braces,26', 27and spaced'apart a suitable distance to' permit the plants to be treated to pass between their adjacent walls 27, 27. The casings and their contained mechanism are supported from the vehicle by horizontal links'28,'29 by which they are connected at top and bottom respectively, and upon opposite sides to the legs of the front arch,'the arrangement and connection being such that the picker mechanisms have a capacity for oscillation substantially in a vertical plane, and by reason of the flexibility of the links the picker mechanism' is free to accommodate itself laterally of the machine to irregularities in the row of cotton plants and minor deviations on the part of. the carriage. The main, or a substantial portion, of theweight of the picker mecha- IllSiH is supported by a pair'of springs 30,

30 connected ':at one endto the reai'walls of the picker casings as at 31 and. at their upper ends to the longitudinal members of the ehicle frame as at 32. Though the main portion of the weight" of the picker mechanism is. supported .as stated, it is partly borneand its distance from the ground is maintainedby a pair of parallel longitudinal skids or runners 33, 33 each of which extends beneath one of the pickercasings. Thus, though the main burden is borne, upon the wheelsof the vehicle, the vertical relation of the picker anechanism to the plants operated upon is maintained by theskids which are so shaped as to easily ride over any minor obstructions which they may encounter. When, however, the mechanism is to be transported without operating uponplants, as forexample in going to and from the cotton field, the picker mechanism may be raised by means of a rock shaft 31 having arms connected to the lower links by rods 35, 35, and a handle 36 which may be adjusted to hold the picker mechanism at the desired elevation. A pair of flared triangular wings 37, 37 extend from the front ends of the skids to the ad jacent walls of the picker casings, of which, in effect, they form extensions, in order to guide and gather the "plants .within the passage between the picker casings.

. The picker mechanisms upon opposite sides of the machine are counterparts of each other and the description of one will therefore be sufficient, it being understoodthat it applies equally to the other mechanism.

The adjacent or inner walls of the casing are horizontally slotted as at 38 the slots being arranged in vertical series for the reception of a corresponding series of picker fingers (see Figs. 3 and 5). The latter are arranged'so closely together that when projected it will be impossible for a boll of cotton to pass between adjacent membersof the series without being engaged by one of them and having its cotton entangled and removed. Eachpicker finger 39 eX- tends at its rear end through a pivoted hearing block 10 which forms a support at this point for the picker finger but byreason of its pivotal connection with the upright 141 permits the finger to swing horizontally in its slot 38. Adjacent its block 10 each picker finger carries a sprocket -12 which is loosely splined thereon, the series of sprockets. be-

ing maintained. in proper vertical relation by their engagement with the links of sprocket chain -43. Notwithstanding that thefingers are free to swing horizontally they never leave their engagement with the chain, the teeth of the sprocket wheels being sufiiciently long to prevent such an .oc-

is driven by mechanism to be hereinafter described. A series of operating arms 48 is pivoted to an angle iron (see Fig. 5) each which normally tends to force the picker finger into ,its projected position. The outward movement of the picker fingers, however, is limited by a stop 53 with which the arms i8 come in contact and the latter are thrown into their rearward position and the picker fingers retracted by a series of rollers 54 mounted upon the sectors 55 carried by a vertical shaft 56. Therotation of the shaft 56 being in the direction of the arrows shown in 5-, each cam roller will engage its arm and retract the same and it will be held in a retracted position until the corresponding sector has freed the end cotton. Y Between the guide 59 and 'an L-bar of the arm which thereupon, together with its picker finger, snaps forward under the influence of its spring 50. Each picker finger is also engaged near its end by an eye bar 57 which islongitudinally and horizontally movable in stationary guides 58, 59 in the casing-and is normally retracted'by the spring 60 ,to bring an arm 61 projecting from said eye bar into contact with a cam 62 formed upon the collar of a sector 55.

The rear ends of the eye bars 57 are cusl1- 'ioned if desired byspring-pressed rubber stops 57 upon which their rear ends are adapted to impinge. Itwill thus be seen that the picker fingers 39 will yieldjand swing backward, if their forward progress is resisted as by coming in contact with the stock of a cotton plant,'until retracted within the casing, but during normal opera- .tion and unless retracted they will have a slight oscillation. in a horizontal plane for each rotation of the shaft 56. The purpose of this oscillation will presently appear.

In order to remove the cotton or lint colletcd by the picker fingers which, as shown, in Fig. 5 are provided with barbs63 at their outer ends for this purpose, I arrange adj a cent the position which the heads of the 'ickers occupy when retracted, a vertical endless belt 64 provided with card clothing or other suitable means for engaging the cotton; The. belt is mounted upon upper and lower pulleys 65, 66-, the upper of on shaft 56 by the arm which is driven by mechanism to be presently described, and the lower runs idly.

As. shown in Fig. 5 the picker fingers are held slightly away from the card clothing belt while in their projected, position, this being due to the engagement of the cam 62 61. When, however,

a picker finger is retractedjto bring its head Upon opposite sides upon which the belt pulleys opposite said belt, the construction of the cam 62 is such as to permit the picker finger .tobej brought close to the surface of the cardclothing, which thereupon removes the cotton lint from-the picker head and carries it away to any suitable storagereceptacle which may be arrangedin the path of the, ,belt; Obviously, if desired a doffer, such as is common in cotton machinery, may be provided for stripping the cotton from the belt. In operation each picker finger is first projected through the-slot 38 into the passage between thecasings, then retracted within the casing until the picker head is .67 upon the wall" of the casing extends a grid '68 the bars of which are horizontal and constitute additional guides for the picker fingers.

I have shown 1n the accompanylng drawings a suitable means for driving the picker mechanism from the rear wheels ofthemachine. Upon the arbors of the latter and between the hubs of the same and the lower end of the rear arch 12 I have mounted sprocket wheels 69'upon the hubs of which and of the vehicle wheels are formed interengaging teeth 70 forming clutches, the sprocket-wheels having a slight longitudinal movement upon the arbors and being pressed outward by coiled springs 71, 71. Endless chains 72, 72 engage the sprockets 69 and also embrace sprockets 73 upon a transi' erse shaft 74 journaled in the sides of the rear arch near the top thereof. It will be obvious that the shaft 74: will be forwardly driven whenever either rear wheel-moves in a corresponding direction. At its center the shaft M carries another sprocket T5 with which one end of a loop of an endless chain 76 engages, the other end of the loop being passed around the sprocket 77 upon a transverse shaft 7 8 located above the picker mechanisms. The 'shaft78 in addition to the sprocket wheel 77 carries a pair of bevel pinions 79, 79, near itsopposite ends whichm'esh with corresponding pinions 80, 80: upon the upper ends of the cam shaftsfifi'which retract and projct'the picker fingers. The transverse shaft 78 also carries sprockets 81 i which drive chains 82 for turning shaft 83 are mounted. Upon the outer ends of shaft 78 also are mounted gears 88 engaging gears 85 on countershafts 86 whichat their outer ends carry the sprockets upon which the chains for rotating the picker fingers are mounted.

From the foregoing description when taken with the accompanying drawings, the operation of the picker machine may be readily understood. When the latter is drawn along a row of cotton plants the latter enter the passage between the picker mechanisms and ultimately come in contact with the picking fingers-which, as above described, are being constantly rotated and rapidly reciprocated through the slots in the casings to form a constantly moving but eflectively continuous screen through which the cotton plants pass. While the reciprocations of the fingers are'rapid, they are maintained in their projected positions a suflicientlength of time to wind up any cotton with which they may come into contact and in theirretracted position long enough' I to permit the card clothing belts toremove' the cotton'therefrom. In order to distri'bute the effort of the cam shaft the cams are so arranged that the picker fingers are pro ected seriaf/im or in'groups, though this is not s essential. The fingers yield to the relatively chine described introduced without departbe adopted.

ing from my invention which I intend to cover in its broadest scope by the following claims. Among other modifications which will suggest themselves at once is that the machine may, by certain obvious changes, be driven by some suitable form of motor, as for example, a gas engine, in which event, of course, the picker mechanism might still be driven from the rear wheels of the vehicle or a more direct drive from the engine might I claim: v

1. Ina machine for picking cotton plants, a truck or carriage, a frame, picker mechanism mounted thereon and means flexibly connecting said frame to the carriage to permit lateral movement of the former with relation to the latter.

2. In a machine for picking cotton from the plant, a truck or carriage, a frame, picker mechanism mounted on the frame and flexible links connecting the frame to the carriage and permitting lateral andvertical motions relative thereto. v

3, In a cotton-picking machine a truck br carriage, a pair of casings spaced apart laterally of the machine and each carrying a'.

. fingers and adapted to remove ranged adjacent the retracte fingers .and adapted to remove and carry away the cotton therefrom.

picker mechanism and flexible connectionsfrom the casings to the carriage permitting lateral and vertical motion of the former with relation to the latter.

4. In amachine for picking cotton, a

truck or carrier, a. casing mounted thereon,

a substantially vertical series of picker fingers longitudinally'movable in the casing transversely of the path of movement of the machine, means for longitudinally reciprocating the fingers with respect to the casing the machine, provided with a substantially vertical. series of openings, picker fingers mounted adjacent said openings, ;means for projecting and retractingthe fingers therethrough and maintaining them stationary in retracted position, the fin ers being normally substantially perpen icular to said wall, movable means arranged adj acentthe retracted position'of the fingers and adapted to remove and carry away cottontherefrom.

6. In a cotton picking machine, a casing having a longitudinal wall provided with a substantially vertical series of openings,

picker mechanism mounted adjacent said openings, means for projecting and retracting the fingers therethrough, and main-.

taining them stationary in retracted position, and a carrier belt provided with card clothing, the surface of which adjacent the fin ers is parallel andclose to said fingers an adapted to remove cotton therefrom.

7.In a machine for picking cotton, a

substantially vertical "series of picking fingers, means for axially projecting and retracting the same and maintaining them stationary in a retracted position, a belt provided with cotton-engaging means arranged adjacent to the retracted position of the away the cotton therefrom' 8. In a cotton picking machine, a casing,

a wall of which is provided with a substantially vertical series of openings, picking fingers mounted adjacent said openings for longitudinal reciprocation, means for projecting, retracting and maintaining the fingers stationary in retracted position, a belt provided with cotton-enga mg means ard position of the 9. In a machine for picking cotton, a substantially vertical series of picking fingers,

meansfor axially projectingand retracting and carry the same andmaintaining them stationary in retracted position,-a heltprovlded wlthcotton-engaging means arranged ad acent the retracted position of the fingers-land adapted to remove and carry away-thecotton therefrom. 10. Inamachine for picking cotton, a se;

ries'. of reciprocable picker fingers, means, for longitudinally reciprocating the fingers, transversely of the machine into and out of contact with the'plants to be picked, and re- 12. In' a machine for picking cotton, a series of cotton picking fingers,.means for continuously revolving the fingers, means I for longitudinally reciprocating the same and holding them against translation inter A substantially verticalserie's ofpicker fingers,

' a series of pivoted bearing blocks in the 'members of which the picker. fingers are respectively mounted, sprocket wheels keyed mediate 'reciprocations thereof, and a belt provided with means" for stripping cotton from the fingers in engaging position with respect thereto. Q

13. In a machine forpicking' cotton, a series of cotton-picking fingers, means for continuously revolving the fingers, means for axially reciprocating the same and retaining them stationary in retracted position and a belt provided with card clothing means for stripping cotton from the fingers.

14. In a machine for picking cotton, a series of picking fingers adapted to be. axially projected transversely of the machine into contact with and retracted from the plants, means for effecting such motion of the fingers and retaining them stationary 1n retracted-position, rotary wheels keyed upon the fingers andmeans engaging the WlIBGlSIOI' rotating'the same. 7 I

15,. In a machine for picking cotton,- a vertical series of picker fingers, a series 0 bearing blocks pivoted on vertical axes in which the pickerfingersv are respectively journaled and arranged to reciprocate, and

means for rotating andreciprocating the fingers.

16. Ina machine for picking cotton, a vertical series of picker fingers, a series of piv-,

oted' bearing blocks in which the picker fingers are journaled and arranged to reciprocate, means for reciprocating the fingers, and yielding means for normally holding the picker fingers transverse to the path of movement of the machine.

17. In a cotton-picking machine, a series fingers, a rotary fingers,

cate andwithvvhich they are adapted to swing, ,means for reciprocating the picker Wheel mounted upon and adapted to i'otate each picker finger and means for rotatingthe Wheels.

18. In machine for picking cotton, a

series of picker fingers reciprocable trans versely oi'gthe machine, a series of pivoted brackets-through which the respective picker fingersreciprocate, a series of sprocket Wheels mounted uponrthe respective picker cfingers and adapted to rotate the same and a sprocket chain engaging the sprockets.

19. In a machine for picking cotton, a

substantially vertical series of picker fingers,

a seriespf pivoted 'bearing'blocks inthe members'of which the picker fingers are respectively mounted, sprocket wheels keyed upon the picker fingers tadjacent the brackets, a sprocket Jchain engaging thesprocket Wheels and means for rec procating the picker fingers in the bearing blocks and sprocket wheels. Y

205111 a machine for picking cotton, a

.for reciprocating the picker fingers in-the hearing blocks and sprocket wheels.

'21. In a machine for picking cotton, a

- substantially vertical series of picker fingers,

a cseries of pivoted bearing blocks in the members of which the picker fingers are respectively mounted, spro'cketwheels keyed .upon the picl yfingers adj acent the brackets, a sprocke chain engaging the sprocket Wheels, a guide for maintainlng the sprocket chain in contact with the sprocket wheels.

and means for reciprocating the picker fingersin the hearing blocks and sprocket f I wheels.

22. In a -machine for picking cotton, a series of picker fingers mounted to recipro cateinto contact with the cotton plants and to be Withdrawn therefrom, a spring for each picker finger normally forcing the same into projectedposition, apivoted arm connected'to each picker finger, and'means for separatelyv engaging the arms to retract the picker finger in opposition to said springs.

In a machine for picking cotton, a series of-picker fingers mounted to reciprocate into contact With'the plants and to he withdrawn therefrom, a spring for each picking finger normally forcing it into projected position, a series ofarms one for each finger each connected to a picker finger, a'shaftand cams on the shaft adapted 'to retract the picker fingers in opposition to the pressure of the springs. v

24. In a machine for picking cotton, a series of picker fingers mounted to reciprocate into and out ofcontact with the cotton plants and to permit rearward swinging, means to reciprocate the fingers and means to yield-, ingly hold them in a position transverse to the direction of movement of the machine.

25. In a machine for picking cotton, a se;

ries of picker fingers mounted to reciprocate into and out of contact with the cotton plants and to permit rearward swinging, means to reciprocate the fingers, a series of eye bars through-the ends of which the several picker fingers pass andyielding means connected to the eye bars for normally holding the picker fingers transversely of the path of movement of the machine' 26. In acotton-picking machine, a casing having a series of horizontal slots therein, a series of pivoted bearin'g blocks mounted in thecasing, a series of picker fingers severally mounted in the bearing blocks and extending through the slots in the casing, a series of eye motion of the machine, means for recipro-' eating the' fingers through said slots 3.3.Ild means for continuously rotating the fingers.

. g 27. In a machine for picking cotton, a casing, a vertical series of picker fingers mounted in the casing, a verticalbelt arranged within the casing adjacent the series of plcker fingers and provided with means for removing cotton from the latter, meansfor projecting saidfingers axially into contact with the plants to be picked and withdraw-- ing them within the casing and means for moving the fingers laterally into close prox-,

imity to said belt when said fingers are in retracted position.

28. In a machine for picking cotton, a ver- .tical series of-picking fingers, a series of pivoted bearings through which such fingers are arranged to reciprocate, means for reciproeating the fingers, means adjacent the inner position of the picker heads for. removing cotton therefrom, a series of eye bars in the ends of which the picker fingers are severally mounted and meansfor reciprocating said eye bars to vary the distance of the picker fingers from the cotton-removing means.

29. In a machine fol; picking cotton, a vertical series of picking fingers, a series of pivoted bearings inwhich the fingers are mounted to reciprocate, means for. reciprocating the fingers including a cam shaft, belts provided with card clothing arranged adjacent the picker fingers, a series of eye bars in the ends of which the picker fingers are severally mounted, springs tending to hold the picker fingers in closeproximity to the said belts and cams on the cam shaft forengaging the eye bars and swinging the picker fingers away from 'said belts.

30. In a machine for picking cotton, a casing having a wall extending longitudinally of the machine, a vertical series of horizontal slots in said Wall, a vertical series of picker fingers mounted adjacent to and adapted to reciprocate through said slots, a series of pivoted bearing blocks in which the fingers are severally mounted, springs tending to project the fingers through the slots, a se ries of pivoted arms severally connected to the fingers, a cam shaft, cams 011 said shaft adapted to engage the arms and retract the fingers against the pressure of their springs,

sprocket wheels arranged on the fingers and with reference to which. the latter are free to reciprocate, a sprocket chain forrotating said sprockets, a belt provided with cottonremoving means arranged adjacent the series ofpicker fingers, a series of eye barsthrough which the picker fingers severally extend, springs connected to said eye bars for holding the picker fingers in close proximity to the belt and cams on the cam shaft for engaging the eye bars for swinging the picker fingers away from said belt.

. HARVEY L. FISHER.

Witnesses: f

JOHN B. Ma-oAULEY,

ROBERT DOBBERMAN. 

